Fence-post



(No Mbdel.)

EV-M 14 a so 0 JM S-.L.KNEPPER. FENCE POST.

Patented Dec. 22, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL L. KNEPPER, OF FINDLAY, OHIO.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,807, dated December22, 1885,

Application filed September 12, 1885. Serial No. 176,929.

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. KNEPPER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Findlay, in the county of Hancock and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification,inwhich the figure represents a perspective view of a fence-post embodyingmy invention.

My invention relates tocertain improvements in fence-posts; and the sameconsists in the devices which I shall hereinafter fully describe andclaim.

To enable others skilled in the artto make and use my invention, I willnow describe its construction and the manner in which I have carried itout.

In the said drawing, A represents the basetimber, provided at or nearits center with a double inclined or beveled portion, a,- and B Brepresent the posts. These posts are each provided at their lower endswith an inverted- V-shaped notch, 12, of a size and configurationcorresponding with the inclined or beveled portion a of the base-timber.It will be observed from the drawing that each post is also provided atits upper end with a kcrf, c, the purpose of which will be hereinafterfully described.

Secured to the base -timber by a wire or other suitable means is aweight, 0, which anchors the post and assists in keeping the same in itsupright position.

D D represent suitable braces of wire, pro vided at each end with aloop, d d, the purpose of which is to engage the upper ends of the postsB and the ends of the base-timber A.

In the construction of a fence in which my improved post is used, Isecure the posts to the base-timber, as shown, the space between the twoposts being for the ends of the rails, the upper one of which must beplaced below the kerf in the top of the post. IVhen the (No model.)

rails have been inserted, I take a piece of wire and make a loop in eachend, the one in the lower end being large enough to slip over the end ofthe base-timber. The upper end of the wire is passed into the kerf atthe top of the post and the loop at this end slipped over the top of theopposite post. I attach a brace to the opposite side of the base-timberand connect it to the other post in a manner similar to that justdescribed. When these braces k are placed in position, I draw theirlower ends outward toward the ends of the base-timber until the bracesare sufficiently tight to securely hold the fence.

In using the weight or anchor, I first fasten, a wire to the same and tothe loose timber and bury it in the earth, leaving the ends of the wireexposed, so that when it is desired to remove the fence the operator hasonly to unfasten the ends of the wire, when the fence may be removedwithout difficulty.

I am aware it is not broadly new in the constru ction of fences toemploy wire braces whose free ends are formed with loops and secured byhorizontal pins, keys, or wedges, and such construction I therefore donot broadly claim as my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

In a fence-post, the combination, with the basetimber and a Weight oranchor attached thereto, of the posts having notches at their lowerends, and kerfs formed in their extreme I upper ends, and theindependent braces having loops which fit over and engage the upperportion of one of the posts, the said braces extending in oppositedirections through the kerfs and secured to the base-timber,substantially as herein described.

SAMUEL L. .KNEPPER.

VVitnes'ses:

MINOR BEARDSLEY, HENRY BROWN.

